Motor vehicle



Feb. 13, 1940.

' J. G. VINCENT MOTOR v VEHICLE Filed D96. 7. 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 13, '1"940. J. G. VINCENT MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Dec.v 4'l'. 1956 s sheets-sheet 2V Feb. 13, 1940.

J. G. VINCENT 2,190,224 MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Dec. 7. less s sheets-sheet s' sie@ U'NiTE. srAres fur ,A

Jesse G. Vincent, Grosse Pointe, `lylich., assigner to Packard Motor `Car Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation `of Michigan l, kApplication December `7, 1936, Serial No. 114,692 ,l

s claims.l (ci. 2st-10c)` l elements of a motor vehicle to the chassis thereoi'. more comfortable. l

The motor vehicle now inlcommon use is oo mf n Fromtthe standpoint of production, `the pro` l 5y posed of two'entirely separate units, namely, the posed construction will enable large savings to 5; body and the chassis. Each of these units is asf be made, due to `the reduction in the` number o'i semblednseparately, the superpositioning 0f the parts used andthe reduction in floor space rebody on the chassis being one of the final steps quired. AAlso, a car constructed according tothe in the manufacture of the vehicle. One disad` presentl invention will be vlighter in weight, and v vantage of the present construction, in which will possess much more rigidity than the pres- 10 the body `is `bolted to the chassis, isI the fact wthat ent motor` vehicles, thus ensuring greater safety, the body bolts mustl be` tightened periodically readability and riding` comfort. i 4` l in order to eliminate squeaks'and maintain the The present invention Yhas for kits object the necessary rigidity in` the `connection between accomplishment of the ioregoing'advantages. A the unita Another disadvantage'isthe `tact that further object is the provision of a bodyconstruc- 15 the body pillars are mounted on the body sills tion in which the usual blody sillsare dispensed too far from the frame side members to assist with, and a unitary iioor member is secured dmaterially the rigidity of the structure as a Whole. rectly on the chassis frame. Another object is In the present method of construction, a shortthe provision ofv a body' structure in which the cned chassis frame or body buck is placed on `body pillarsare secured directly to the side mem- ,2.0 the body assembly line and the body is then built bers of the chassis frame, the body panels being up on thi's'buck during its passage along the line. secured to the pillars and/or oor member. An- When the` body has 'been completed and has other object is the provision ofa unitary' floor reached the end of itsassembly line, it is rey member formed at its rear to provide aseat pan moved from the buck and transported to a point and toprovide clearance for a fuel tank disposed 25 f in another assembly line, where it is `fitted on to therebeneath. Space mayalso be provided for Y a chassis which hasbeen built up on thatuasf l, the lstorlagelof tools, etc. u f* sembly line. The maintenance o f two assembly kCther and further objects, features andadlines, asstated, entails the useof a large amount vantages will appear from the description which of floor space, and one object ofthe present infollows,together with the 'accompanyingldraw- 30 ventionis to enable the chassis and body to be ings, in which: assembled as one unit rather than two, thus Figure 1 isa plan .View of a chassis `f ramehayeliminating one assembly line. f l ing a iioor and body 'pillarssecured thereto ,in`

In the present type of body construction, there accordance with the present invention; is frequently a tendency for the cowl and wind Figure 2 is a side elevation ofthe construction 35 shield to vibrate laterally, due to the fact that of Figure 1; H l l V y the supporting structure for these members is Figure 3 is a fragmentary verticalsectionon anchored to the body sill at its weakest point. Vline 3-3 oi" Figure 1; l In the construction according to the present in- Figure e is a vertical sectionfon line 4 4 `of fr 40 ventiOn, the structure for the cowl is anchored to Figure 1; f` l f V 4Q V the frame at points where high rigidity is main- Figure 5 is a vertical sectionon line` 5-5 of tained. This feature will contribute muchto Figure 1; p .I cowl rigidity, particularly in convertible bodies Figure 6 is a section on line vtif-$5 of Figure l; 4 which have always presented a' problem in this and i ,v i .l l, y V respect. f y 1 I i Figure 7 is a perspective View of a portion of 4:5` In the present" form of construction, the rear the `structure illustrated inrFigurc-:s` l, andj2,` seat cushion is of necessity set down between Inmorder to kfacilitate an understanding of the the side members of the chassis frame and, duev invention, referenceis made to the embodiment to the encroachment of the inwardly projecting thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and upper ages Of the Side members, the C011 Springs detailed descriptive language is employed.` It will 50 z at the ends of the rear seat cushionmust be made nevertheless `be 'understood that no limitation of shorter than the remaining springs of the cushl the invention is thereby intended andthat variion. In the proposed construction, as thetop ous changes and `alterations arey contemplated ange of the side members terminates in advance lsuch as would` ordinarilyoccurto, one skilled in of this point, the springs at the ends of the seat This invention relatesto motor vehicles` and particularly' to the manner of uniting the body v cushion may be made full length, thus enhanc-` ing the resilience Iof the cushionv and making it the art to which the inventionrelates.` f1

Referring to the drawings, the chassis frame `illustrated comprises the usual side members it and l,.rigidly connected by crossvmembers H, H' and l2, l2 arranged in X form. Bracing members i3 and I3 may be employed to enhance the rigidity of the frame structure. The side members lil, ID' are of channel section (Figure 6), the upper horizontal flange preferably being of less width than the lower ange. The cross members may be of any suitable section, such as the modified T section shown in Figure 4, having a relatively narrow ,horizontal upper ange. 'Y

Side members l0, i5' are curved upwardly adjacent their rear ends in the usual manner, to provide clearance for a rear axle I4 and associated mechanism, on which the frame is supported in the usual manner by leaf springs l 5, l5'.

A unitary metallic floor member It is secured,

by rivets or other suitable means, directly to the chassis frame, being secured. to the upper flanges of the cross members Il, ll' and l2, l2' and the upper iianges of the side members I0, lil rearwardly to a point Il, somewhat in advance of the rear axle i4. At the point H, whichis located on the upward curve of the side members,

, and at the desired level of the seat pan forv the pan, as at 2B, to provide clearance for lthe usual .differential housing 2l associated with rear aXle A horizontal portionof the floor member I4. rearwardly of the seat` pan provides space therebeneath vfor a fuel tank-22, the lateral edges of the iioor member adjacent the fuel tank, and the rearwardly extending portion of the floor member being curved downwardly to lie in the plane of the lower flange of side members IIJ and It',

, to which this rearward portion of fioor member I6 is secured by rivets ,or other suitable means.

The side membersI Hl, Illr vare strengthened rearwardly of point il, and the necessary rigidity established bysecuring wheeled housings 23 directly to the side members, as by welding or other suitable means. A rear body panel 24 is secured to the laterally projecting edges of wheeled housings 23, fenders25 being secured to the wheel housings and body'panel along the same line of x juncture.

l `in a similar manner. '7o

The supporting structure for the cowl and and U-member 26 in the usual manner, a portion of one such panel being indicated atllil, Figure 7.

The floor member i6 is provided at its lateral I edges` with upturned flanges 3d, to which aprons 75` 3l are secured as illustrated in Figure 6. Runy vehicle.

ningv boards 32 are bolted or otherwise fastened to the lower edges of aprons 3l.

The forward edge of the oor member I6 is of V-shape, corresponding to the forward end of the X frame comprised by cross members l2, i2 to which it issecured, and may be formed with. a depending flange 33 (Figure 7). Triangle brackets 3 6, secured between the iioor-member i6 and U-member 26 enhance the rigidity of the latter member, and provide an inclined abutment for a toe board 35. The latter is formed with an inclined portion 36, which rests on the brackets 3d, and a triangular horizontal portion 3l which overlies the V-shaped opening in the forward end'of floor member It, thus completing the floor of the forward compartment of the The toe board 35 may be secured to the floor member it and brackets 34 in any suitable manner, as by screws, and may be divided, longitudinally of the vehicle, into two complementary members if desired.

It is contemplated that the chassis structure forward of the U-inember 26 will be constructed in the usual manner, hence it is unnecessary to include such construction in the present description.

`As may be s-een in Figure 2, a spare tire 38 may he supported, by suitable means not shown, upon the horizontal portion of the rearward end of the iioor member i6, above the fuel tank 22, ya storage space for tools, etc., being provided between the underside of the tire 38 and the depressed portion of floor member I6 lying rearwardly of the fuel tank.

rHaving thus described the invention, whatis claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. in a motor vehicle, a chassis frame comprising side members and cross members, said cross members being arranged in X formation, said side and cross members having horizontal anges formed integrally therewith at their upper sides,- and a metallic floor member disposed immediately above said side and cross members and rigidly 45' secured to said flanges of said side and cross members.

2. In a motor vehicle, a chassis frame comprising side members and cross members, said members havinghorizontal flanges formed integrally therewith at their upper and lower sides, and a floor member secured throughout part of its length to the upper flanges of said side and cross members, and secured throughout another portion of its length to said lower flanges of said side members.

3. In a motor Vehicle, a chassis frame comprising side members and cross memberasaid side members having integral horizontal anges at their upper sides throughout a part only of their length and having integral horizontal flanges at their lower sides throughout the remainder of their length, and a floor member secured to said upper flanges throughout a part of its length and secured to said lower iianges throughout another portieri of its length. 4i. In a motoi` vehicle, a chassis frame comprising side members and cross members, said latter members being .arranged in X form, and a unitary floor member secured to saidside and cross members and extending from the forward end of said X formation to the rearward end of said side members, the forward edge of said oor member being of V-shape and being secured to the forwardly-extending members of said X formation.

5. In a motor vehicle, a chassis frame comprising side members and cross members, said latter members being arranged in X form, a unitary oor member secured to said side and ycross members and extending from the forward end of said X formation to the rearward end of said side members, the forward edge of said floor member being of V-shape and beingsecured to the forwardly-extending members of said X formation, whereby a V-shaped opening is formed forward of said oor member, and a second oor member overlying the said V-shaped opening and comprising a toe board. l

6. In a motor vehicle, a chassis having a frame comprising side members and cross members, said side members being of channel section opening inwardly and being curved upwardly adjacent their rearward ends to provide clearance for the rear axle of said chassis, the upper flange of each said side member terminating at a point in advance of said rear axle, and a oor member secured to the upper flanges of said side member, and secured to the lower flanges of said side members at points disposed rearwardly of the point of termination of said upper anges.

7. In a motor vehicle, a chassis having a frame comprising side members and cross members, said side members being of channel section opening inwardly and being curved upwardly adjacent their rearward ends to provide clearance for the rear axle of said chassis, the upper flange of each said side member` terminating at a point in advance of said rear axle, and a floor member secured to the upper anges of said side member, and secured to the lower flanges of said side members at points side members being of channel section opening inwardly and being curved upwardly adjacent their rearward ends to provide clearance for the rear axle of said chassis,'the upper flange of each said side member terminating ata point in advance of said rear axle, a fuel tank disposed rearwardly of said rear axle, a floor member secured to the upper flanges of said side member, and secured to the `lower iianges of said side members at points disposed rearwardly of the point of termination ofy said upper flanges, that portion of said floor member lying rearwardly of said last named point being formed to provide a seat pan lying between said side members and to provide clearance for said fuel tank.

JESSE G. VINCENT. 

